


An Accidental Recommendation

by Canon_Is_Relative



Category: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-09-21
Packaged: 2017-12-27 06:36:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/975611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canon_Is_Relative/pseuds/Canon_Is_Relative
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"His sisters were very anxious for his having an estate of his own; but though he was now established only as a tenant, Miss Bingley was by no means unwilling to preside at his table, nor was Mrs. Hurst, who had married a man of more fashion than fortune, less disposed to consider his house as her home when it suited her. Mr. Bingley had not been of age two years, when he was tempted by an accidental recommendation to look at Netherfield House." - Pride and Prejudice.</p>
<p>Miss Bingley and her maid have different motivations, but both want Bingley to rent Netherfield.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Accidental Recommendation

Mr Bingley bowed and took himself from the room, leaving his sister, in high agitation, to throw her bracelet to the floor. Esther bent to retrieve it, and resettled it carefully on the table before returning her attention to her mistress’s hair.

Miss Bingley’s cheeks flamed in the candlelight. “He will drive me to distraction, I declare.”

Esther made no reply. When Miss Bingley went on one of her rants about Mr Bingley’s shortcomings as a brother and a gentleman, it was usually best to remain silent. She reached into her pocket for another hair pin, fingers brushing instead against the well worn folds of Sarah’s latest letter.

Sarah. Esther’s hands stilled, an idea starting in her head, and while Miss Bingley fretted, she prayed for the courage to speak.

“And if he persists this way he will never have a proper home! One would think that Mr Darcy might be a better influence on him, but Charles is such a fool—“ Miss Bingley checked herself at last and fell silent, reaching again for her bracelet.

Esther seized the moment without pausing in her work, saying diffidently, “I have heard, Miss, of a large, fine estate in Hertfordshire standing quite empty.”

“Hertforshire?” Miss Bingley wrinkled her delicate nose. Everyone knew she longed to be settled, by hook or by crook, in Derbyshire.

“Yes, Miss,” Esther held out two hair-ribbons for her mistress to choose between, and continued. “I thought to mention it only because it would be such an easy distance from town, scarce twenty miles.”  
  
Miss Bingley continued to frown, but her expression was more thoughtful than annoyed. “And how did you hear of this estate, Esther? Don’t be coy, I know you have spies all across the country. What is his name, is he handsome?”

Esther flushed, which quite answered Miss Bingley, and she continued to tease her maid until the door opened again, admitting her sister, and she quite forgot Esther in her haste to tell Louisa of her delicious scheme to lure Charles into taking an estate, leaving Esther to her private thoughts and fearful hopes.

If they went to Netherfield, they would be in walking distance of Longbourn. She could see her dear Sarah again. With trembling fingers she clasped the bracelet around Miss Bingley’s wrist and when the two ladies swept out of the room, she sank down beside the bed and prayed.


End file.
